Tools Matter: BuildClean
Anyone who has ever lived through a home renovation will tell you that one of the worst parts of the process is the dust and the mess it leaves behind.
It’s an inevitable part of the process, but recently we have begun using one of our new favorite tools, BuildClean, to help reduce the dust, debris and other airborne hazards on our job sites.
The BuildClean system is a small, 360° filtration system that dramatically reduces airborne jobsite dust by drawing in air, passing it through a series of filters and returning the “scrubbed” air back into the space. It can be used while we are working or left on automatic mode to continue cleaning the air even after we are gone. The system doesn’t just collect dust, it also has a HEPA filter which makes the air cleaner for everyone (crew and customers).
For us, this system had several benefits. The first, of course, was that it provided our clients with a cleaner environment, especially when they are living in their home during a renovation. But we use the system even in our gut renovations where there are no homeowners because the system also keeps our crew safer. Everyone on the crew is a huge fan of the CleanBuild and there may even be some friendly competition about who gets to have the system at their site on a given day. Generally we place the system at whatever site is going to have the most dust and debris from that day’s work. This is usually during the demolition stage or in the finishing stage when floors, trim, and drywall are being sanded and walls are being painted.
We’ve noticed another positive outcome of the CleanBuild system which is that it seems to promote a clean and organized jobsite in general. When you take a step like filtering the air and reducing the dust, cleanliness gets put top-of-mind in other aspects as well. A clean, well-maintained job site translates to a clean, well-made home. The system has helped tremendously during wood flooring installs and applying wood finishes - less dust means cleaner floors and a cleaner finish. The same is true of trim work and even wall paint.
At RIC design build our values are sustainability, craftsmanship and attention to detail. Whenever we invest in a new tool, it should always help advance one or all of those values. CleanBuild provides a safer environment for our crew (sustainability), a clean space to allow our carpenters to do their best work (craftsmanship), and a cleaner home for our clients (attention to detail).
Although not a lot of dust is generated during spray foam insulation, we run the CleanBuild system to keep the air moving for the homeowners.